Cons:

FIFA may have been built on real player names and authentic kits, but the rest of the gameplay engine is as superficial as David Beckham's glittering smile. Konami's Winning Eleven series has been drawing gameplay raves for years, building an amazing, almost cult-like, following. Make no mistake about it -- this is to the rest of the world what Madden is to the United States. Devoted websites, passionate discussion threads, and throngs of dedicated gamers share thoughts, roster downloads, and gameplay tips to squeeze every last bit of fun from Konami's yearly football title.

Whether you're a true soccer aficionado, or just a general sports game enthusiast, Winning Eleven 8 is worth checking out. Simply put, this game boasts an avalanche of gameplay, options, and A.I. that that cannot be rivaled anywhere else on the console market (soccer game or otherwise). I'm not sure if Konami has 300 people working on the title, or if it's always developing the next title two years in advance, because no sports game annually ups the ante quite like this.

There's just no weak spot, beginning with the exhaustive training mode. Here, you'll cut your teeth on all the skills needed to successfully direct your players in a winning fashion. Every scenario imaginable can be set-up within four subcategories (from beginner to challenge training). Situation training was the most intriguing of the four, as you learn to utilize advanced moves within the skill sets of dribbling, passing, shooting, attacking, and playing defense. Challenge training falls in line with what you'd expect. Basically, it will set forth a goal, such as dribble through these codes, and then the next goal is to "do it faster." Knocking off tasks earns you points which can be spent to unlock new content (ball types, classic teams, etc.).

For those that play Winning Eleven on a regular basis, there's only one mode really worthy of devotion: Master League. Previously an unwelcome array of complicated screens and unintuitive options, Konami's gone to great lengths to make a friendly, icon-driven interface for this year's title. It works. Gamers who might have been intimidated by this area before should now find it easy enough to manipulate.

The most enthralling part of the Master League experience is that each player on your team truly behaves in an independent fashion (both on and off the pitch). Your roster must be in constant flux to meet both financial and athletic goals, as every player is rated 1-100 in 30+ attributes. Throw in a specialized skill set as well, and it's apparent how much is going on beneath the surface.